The Congress has promised a specified 4.5% sub-quota for Muslims within the existing 27% quota for the OBC community, if it returns back to the power. If I remember correctly, the Congress promised the same during 2009 general elections campaign.

To be honest it tried implementing that
too but the apex court rejected government's appeal saying there is
no reservation envisioned specifically for Muslims in the Union
government jobs as per the Indian Constitution.

In
Focus

The Congress's proposal
has renewed debate about affirmative actions to be provided to
minorities in general and Muslims in particular. The SP has proposed
amending constitution to raise the constitutional ceiling of below
50% job and other quota for various identities and provide
affirmative actions to Muslims outside the OBC quota.

Now the issue of job reservation in Union government is debatable.
The obvious argument against the quota for Muslims is that they were
rulers and victors since Islam arrived in this part of the
subcontinent in 1017 Common Era (CE) with the entry of Gur of
Mohammad. Muslims ruled for almost three quarter of a millennium and
after that British, almost neutral people, ruled India
till beyond the mid of 1947. Muslims' real discrimination started
post-independence and that time is not so big so as to grant them
with almost permanent reservation. Moreover, the opponents of
reservations to Muslims argue that Muslims rarely have castes and if
they have ones at least they do not accept that.

Usual Muslims argument
is that they are tax-payers and therefore, it is within their right
to demand and get their legitimate dues. Many Muslims talk about the
proportionate reservations, not exceeding the present population
fraction. But in reality a majority of Muslims will accept
reservation equal to half of what their fraction of present
population is.

I take a view somewhere
in-between. The fact is that many Muslims are backward people and
they do require government support to improve their life. Financial
assistance in the form of easier loans and some affirmative actions
in the colleges and universities should be the minimum support
Muslims should expect from the Union government. Various state
governments can provide their own reservations though most of them
would have to take clue from the apex court.

As far as me personally is concerned I think that Muslims should
definitely get some support from the Union government - other than
the usual and normal - to help improve their conditions and help them
get over from the negative deposits of time. Therefore, some kind of
reservation to the otherwise backwards among Muslims can be provided
though it should not affect the performance and efficiency of Indian
state significantly and substantially neither should it hurt the
talent of individuals.

Despite of all affirmative actions, the Indian
system has to be rewarding to talented people from any identity.
While socialism may be mandatory from present perspectives yet
capitalism has to survive in patches in many parts of India. India
cannot and should not have parallel theory or opposition to the more
fashionable and accepted one.

Now it is very tricky
and politically risky to cut down the size of OBC reservation and
provide a sub-quota to Muslims in Union government jobs. Majority of
regional parties would shy away from that and there is no question of
the BJP agreeing to provide job reservations to Muslims. And all
Muslims should appreciate the concerns of those parties which claim
to champion the cause of Muslims. No party and its leaders can make
their core constituency unpleased as populism rests mostly on a
majority opinion.

A party exclusive of
Muslims and for Muslims is of little use to them and in fact may harm
them. At the same time all proponents of Muslim quota, Muslims and
Hindus alike, should understand that a sub-quota provided by a
favorable government may not stand the stress test in the apex court.
As the incumbent in the 7 Race Course has found that government
decree or ordinance is no route for providing such reservations as
the apex court can term it unconstitutional.

So there is only one
valid route and that is that that it requires a constitutional
proceeding; a big step - amendment, in order to make it legal. That
is indeed a very difficult task. Now if all parties excluding those
belonging to the NDA agree for the amendment, which, ideally
speaking, they would not, even then the amendment will not be passed
in the floor of the Parliament. This is true about both Houses of the
Parliament. The reason is that NDA will easily get more than
one-third of the seats this time in the Lower House of the
Parliament.

Now theoretically
speaking there are two possibilities in amending the Constitution:
one is to amend the affirmative action clause by dubbing many Muslims
as backwards and the other one is to amend the Constitution
wholeheartedly by providing specific clause of affirmative actions
for Muslims and possibly for other minorities. But the Supreme Court
can declare the possible second big amendment unconstitutional and
against the spirit of secular Indian state.

Obviously, the first
one is a lot easier and lower-ordered amendment. But then it is not
at all politically savvy. The second one is higher-ordered Herculean
task and politically very risky. Now any of the probable amendments,
if tried, would give further boost to already buoyed BJP-led NDA. The
NDA will oppose it tooth and nail even if it somehow sits on the
opposition benches. Its poll prospects will then improve and it may
get an absolute majority in the next general elections.

But in reality the NDA
sitting in opposition is lowest possible among the governing
coalition possibilities. So what would happen to Muslims? They as
such do not vote for the BJP and this is true for some good reasons
from their perspectives. Now can they expect from a party that big
concession against which they tactically vote? The answer is a simple
no. Anyway, for obvious reasons, the BJP-led NDA cannot offer those
favors to Muslims which few other parties, including the Congress,
are offering.

Let me repeat: even if
the NDA does not come back to power, still the possibility of Muslims
getting separate job-quota or a sub-quota within OBC quota is very
low as it would face legal hurdle and lack of political will. With
the BJP at the helm of affairs, it is practically no way possible.
But still a lot can be done to improve the situation of Muslims in
India. In order to make it happen it requires cooperation and good
efforts from all sides.

The fact is that the
Congress has lost all hope to form the next government in New Delhi.
While announcement of sub-quota for Muslims would fetch the Congress
some votes, the fact is that it may loose vital support of backward
community. Moreover, the party's intention to grant scheduled caste
status to all outcaste minorities may make Hindu and Buddhists
outcastes angry and annoyed and the move can backfire politically.

To be honest the move
could help the Congress?s tally up but by a very small number of
seats. The announcement would be considered an unwelcome step by many
upper caste Hindus. But the fact is that by suggesting or promising
job quotas for Muslims, the Congress's has done some good work from
Muslim perspectives and has added a shot to its liberal centrist
agenda. Muslims should appreciate it and consider this in good faith
whether the promise materializes or not.

Frankly speaking,
Muslims are 15% of Indian population and in absolute numbers they are
some good 180 million people. Obviously, their aspirations and views
cannot be fully ignored by any governing coalition, including by the
NDA. The biases and prejudices against Muslims should go and Hindus
should consider Indians Muslims as their equals in all aspects.
That's the minimum all sincere Muslims should expect from rest of
their countrymen. On their part, maximum numbers of Muslims should
forgo isolation and they should have no grudge left against the
Indian state.

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